Benjarong is the brightly coloured porcelain made in China for the Thai market which enjoyed a peak of popularity in the 19th century. Dawn Rooney sets out to provide "a single reference source for Bencharong ... the book I wish had been available when I first became interested in this little-known form of ceramic art 20 years ago".
Although the name means "five colours", the number and combination of colours on Benjarong has many variations. The early history is murky, but Benjarong was probably first imported to Siam in the 18th century. The style developed from earlier forms made for the Chinese domestic market, but was applied to shapes used specifically in Siam and decorated in distinctively Siamese patterns and motifs. Benjarong was popular among royalty and nobility throughout the 19th century.
As the west drew the attention of the Thai elite, the style was first modified with Western influence on shape and design, and then declined steeply in popularity. Production ceased by around 1910. In recent years, Benjarong has become popular among collectors. Some craft producers now reproduce the style locally, and the designs appear on industrial mass-produced ceramics.
In the heyday of Benjarong, the glazed porcelain blanks were probably made at the great ceramics centre of Jingdezhen in Jiangxi province, which had access to the two key ingredients of kaolin clay and porcelain stone. Rooney visited the site, and provides a detailed description of the production process complete with photos of ancient devices and the interiors of kilns.
Some Benjarong was also painted at Jingdezhen, but other pieces were probably decorated at Guangzhou and other locales near the ports. In the late 19th century, some production was carried out at the Front Palace in Bangkok, but the experiment was short-lived and the output is not highly valued.
The bulk of Rooney's book offers a wealth of information and advice for those who collect or simply appreciate this form of porcelain. She summarises methods for dating pieces while warning that none of the methods are fully reliable. She provides a catalogue of patterns and motifs with explanations of origin and symbolism. She provides another catalogue of forms for different uses, including tableware, cosmetic, storage and fringe articles such as drums and stools.
The final part of the book presents a gallery of some of the finest pieces, drawn from both known collections such as the National Museum and Jim Thompson House, and from many anonymous private collections.
This book appears in separate Thai and English editions, with over 300 pieces featured in high-quality photographs. The book inaugurates a new series from River Books called Discover Asian Art, and sets a high standard for those that will follow. Dawn Rooney has produced a beautiful, informative and useful work that will surely be appreciated by many.
Bencharong: Chinese Porcelain For Siam
By Dawn F. Rooney
River Books, 2017
795 baht
